Overview

Engineering Education Improvement in Mechanical Engineering

The Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Wyoming has been involved in continuous improvement of engineering education based on alumni feedback since 1991. The abridged history of continuous improvement of engineering education at the University of Wyoming is given in history. All of these efforts in continuous improvement of engineering education occurred before the requirement of compliance with ABET EC2000, but involved the use of alumni feedback to improve four aspect preparation in Mechanical Engineering; 1) written communication, 2) oral communication, 3) real-world examples of engineering practice, and 4) teamwork.

ABET EC2000 Compliant Education Improvement System.

Educational Objectives and Program Outcomes - a known target defining an effective education

Assessment Process - a means to measure of the effectiveness of the current educational process

Feedback System - a means to implement improvements through modification of the current educational processes

The University of Wyoming has developed, implemented, and utilized an ABET EC2000compliant educational improvement system to accomplish all three of these tasks.

The overall flow chart of the University of Wyoming's. Mechanical Engineering Department's. ABET EC2000-compliant processes is shown in Figure 1. Educational Objectives were developed and reviewed by the constituents of the Mechanical Engineering Department. The Educational Objectives were then used to define Program Outcomes. The effectiveness of the Department's. Educational Processes is checked annually by a series of assessments. Information gathered through assessment about student capability is then used to improve the Department's. educational processes. Review of the information gathered in the Assessment Processes and subsequent modifications to the Department's. educational Processes occurs every year. In addition, there is an annual review of the Performance Rubrics used to measure student capability, and modifications to the Performance Rubrics are identified and implemented as appropriate.

Flow chart of the University of Wyoming’s ABET EC2000-compliant